The Galapagos Islands Where Darwin Loved: By Jen Oliak

August 5, 2016

Last summer, my family and I went on a Galapagos Islands vacation. The Galapagos are a group of islands located off the coast of Ecuador, on the north end of South America near the Equator. They are the home of many unique species of wildlife, some which are found only there. The animals have never been hunted, so they have no fear of man (and woman).

We took a 5 day Expedition Cruise on the Santa Cruz II Ship, operated by Metropolitan Touring. We were hesitant, because we generally feel claustrophobic on ships. But we knew the best tours of the Galapagos Islands were all by boat. The ship we took held 90 people, with 50 cabins. There are larger and smaller boat options available, but we chose this size because we felt it suited our needs the best — we don’t like large crowds because it means long lines. But we also don’t like groups that are too small, where you feel obliged to constantly interact with others.

This ship turned out to be a perfect fit for us.

View from our room. Can you imagine the sunset? Gorgeous.

We visited Santa Cruz, Santiago, Rabida, Bartolome, Genovesa, and San Cristobal islands. Each island had its own set of unique animals that have evolved over millions of years to their current state. We were broken up into small groups and were designated a Naturalist who would show us around the islands throughout the week.

We lucked out with our Naturalist, Roberto Carrillo. He was extremely educated and had a contagious passion for the Galapagos. Our boys bonded with him right away, and were engaged during each day’s exploration. To read about our teamwork in helping with the April 2016 earthquake in Ecuador, click here.

Our whole family learned more during this trip than we ever thought possible. This is definitely a “bucket list” destination. We could have easily taken the 7 day tour, had we known it would be so fantastic. The food was delicious with plenty of choices for the whole family. We loved that there was healthy fare AND indulgent food to please everyone. Meal times were handled with efficiency. I don’t remember waiting for more than a couple minutes for anything.

Let me take you on our journey through these majestic islands. If you read my post about the 2016 Ecuador Earthquake, you will see how grateful we were that Roberto found our camera which held these pictures!

If you are thinking of booking a Galapagos Islands vacation, DO IT! And let me know how it goes!

Read about our time in Quito, Ecuador where we spent a few days before the Galapagos, here! And our trip to Machu Picchu!

Flavor Your Life with an Ounce of Salt. A lifestyle blog by Jen Oliak.

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It snowed another 3 feet in Mammoth since yesterday afternoon! Wish we could stay but it’s time to head home. Do you listen to audiobooks or podcasts on long drives? What’s the latest one you enjoyed? I’ve got a bunch of half listened-to books stored in my phone and have maxed out on productivity/mindset podcasts... I need some drive-home inspo! ... See MoreSee Less